Assembly for carrying and holding slides

ABSTRACT

A slide holder comprising a rectangular frame having two side walls facing each other, a first end wall facing a second end wall, the second end wall having a latch pivotally attached thereto, the latch capable of being pivoted in such a manner as to enable locking and unlocking of the slide holder in a slide holder carrier. The slide holder carrier has a first end wall, a first side wall, a second end wall, a second side wall, and a shaft running from the first end wall of the slide holder carrier to the second end wall of the slide holder carrier. At least one slide holder is rotatably mounted on the shaft.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

This invention relates to systems that employ slides for mountingspecimens to be examined under a microscope. The invention furtherrelates to devices for handling such slides in such systems.

2. Discussion of the Art

High throughput automatic staining systems, such as the BioGenex i6000®Automated Staining System is used for in situ testing to provideaccurate and reproducible staining results for better selection oftherapy for patients. The BioGenex i6000® Automated Staining System hasa capacity of 60 slides, i.e., five racks, with 12 slides per rack. U.S.Pat. Nos. 5,439,649 and 5,948,359 describe and illustrate embodiments ofan automatic staining apparatus.

In a typical operation of the automatic staining system, a plurality ofslides, each generally having a tissue sample at some location on itsupper surface, are place horizontally in a tray that is inserted intothe apparatus at a fixed location, usually at a location havingregistration pins that fit into registration holes in the tray (orsimilar registration elements) so that the individual microscope slidesare always located in the same relative positions on the frame of theapparatus. The apparatus is programmed as appropriate for the individualslides being treated and reagents and reagent containers are placed atspecified locations in the apparatus in the same manner as the traypreviously described. Likewise reagent application tips are also madeavailable for pickup by an automated mechanism. For example a standardbox of 1-ml pipette tips can be placed at a specified location in theapparatus.

Once all the components are in place, the apparatus carries out allreagent applications, incubation, heating (if necessary or appropriate),and sample rinsing steps to perform the desired staining operation. In atypical operating sequence, a movable arm picks up a detachablewash/blow tip having a slit exit, and a buffer solution is applied toeach of the sample slides being treated in a particular cycle by aliquid supply line and wash buffer reservoir attached via the supplyline to the hollow tip head. The apparatus ten uses the same wash/blowtip to blow excess buffer off the slide prior to reagent delivery. Thisis accomplished by blowing air through the tip while the head travelsdown the length of the slide; a “wall” of air exits the slit and removesexcess buffer from the slid without disrupting the tissue sample. Asmall amount of buffer is left on the slide to assist in reagentspreading. The wash/blow tip is then returned to its holder by theautomated arm.

The arm then picks up a disposable pipette tip from the pipette tip boxthat has been inserted in to the reagent application tip holder in theapparatus. The arm with the pipette tip attached picks up a reagent tobe applied to the slide or group of slides from a reagent vial. A numberof the slides can be treated at the same time. The reagent is dispensedon the slide in a preassigned pattern that works in combination with thethin liquid film on the microscope slide to assure spreading of thereagent over the entire surface of the slide to which the tissue may beattached. The thin liquid film allows less reagent to be used than wouldbe require if the film were not present to assist reagent spreading.

The disposable pipette tip is then discarded, and the movable arm picksup the wash/blow tip for adding buffer to and then blowing excess bufferoff the next group of slides to be processed which the rest group ofslide are being incubated with the reagent, after which the wash/blowtip is returned to its holder. The arm picks up the next available fromthe tip box, and reagent is drawn in to the tip and applied as before.Appropriate steps are repeated until all slides have been treated withreagent or until a reagent incubation is complete so that reagents mustbe removed from appropriate slides.

Once a reagent incubation is complete, slides are rinsed when themovable arm picks up the wash/blow tip again and buffer is applied tothe slide to rinse off the majority of the reagent. The wash/blow headthen blows the excess buffer from the slide, and the slide is rinsed asecond time with the on-line buffer, if necessary. This procedure ofrinsing a drying a slide is repeated as necessary depending upon theindividual stain and the appropriate procedure for rinsing the reagent.

Although many staining operations can be carried out without heating theslides, some staining techniques can be enhanced by providing heat sothat either incubation or drying times are shortened, thereby increasingthe speed of the overall operation. FIG. 8 of U.S. Pat. No. 5,439,649six views of a tray 190 intended to hold ten (10) standard 1-inch×3-inchmicroscope slides. Tray 190 is formed into a series of individual wells192 for microscope slides; the location of a single microscope slide 130is shown by a dotted line in the right-most well of the plan view ofFIG. 8. The bottom of the individual wells is open. The opening allowsthe surface of a heating element to directly contact the bottom of eachmicroscope slide.

Improvements in the trays shown in U.S. Pat. No. 5,948,359 have been andare continuing to be made. According to U.S. Pat. No. 5,948,359,especially FIGS. 13A-13E, devices designated as trays 190 are used tohold microscope slides 130. The tray 190 is formed into a series ofindividual wells 192 for microscope slides. Individual side walls 194separate each well from 192 from its adjacent wells to preventaccidental contact of liquid, such as might occur during a washingoperation, and to prevent contamination between adjacent microscopeslides. The side walls 194, retaining tabs 196, and bracing feet 197closely and accurately retain microscope slides placed in the individualwells. A gap 198 is present at one end of the well 192 to allow easygrasping of an individual microscope slide 130 between thumb andforefinger for insertion into and removal from the tray 190.

The trays in use today are typically made of stainless steel sheet metaland have metal retaining tabs. When the microscope slide is inserted inor removed from the tray, by moving the microscope slide under theretaining tabs, the cover slip of the microscope slide is sometimessnagged by the retaining tabs, and, consequently, the cover slip ismoved out of place on the microscope slide by the retaining tabs. Thecover slip is a small sheet of glass, typically between 18 and 25 mm ona side. The cover slip serves at least two purposes: (1) it protects theobjective lens of the microscope from contacting the specimen, and (2)it creates an even thickness (in wet mounts) for viewing. The microscopeslide may not easily fit under the retaining tabs that are formed intothe tray, with the result that the microscope slide must be pulledcarefully so that the retaining tabs are avoided or pushed carefully sothat the retaining tabs are avoided. Designs for trays used at this timehave need for improvement in several areas.

In addition, the latch or other device that releases the microscopeslide from the tray is not easily accessible by the operator. Theoperator's fingers frequently contact the waste material tray, which islocated at the base of the instrument where the heaters are mounted, asthe tray is being released from the apparatus. The tray may not allowthe microscope slide to rest flat on the surface of the heater when thetray is positioned on the instrument. Furthermore, the microscope slidecannot be easily removed from the tray during the course of a run,because it must be slid under the retaining tabs. Still further, thesuction from the automated cover slip remover could cause the latch toopen, thereby releasing the slide holder from the latched positionduring the run.

Because of the foregoing problems, it is desired to provide a tray, orslide holder, that is easily accessible to the operator before, during,and after a run. It is also desired that the tray, or slide holder, beeasy to load with a microscope slide. It tray, or slide holder.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In one aspect, this invention provides a slide holder comprising arectangular frame having two side walls facing each other, a first endwall facing a second end wall, the second end wall having a latchrotatably attached thereto, the latch capable of being pivoted about thesecond end wall to lock the slide holder to a slide holder carrier or tounlock the slide holder from the slide holder carrier. Each of the sidewalls has a first end abutting the first end wall of the frame and asecond end abutting the second end wall of the frame. The first end ofeach side wall has an opening through which a shaft is placed. The endsof the shaft are affixed to the slide holder carrier, and the slideholder can be caused to rotate about the shaft to facilitate access ofthe slide holder to a mechanism for placing a slide onto the slideholder or removing a slide form the slide holder. Proximate to the firstend of each side wall of the rectangular frame or proximate to thesecond end of each side wall of the rectangular frame or proximate toboth ends of each side wall of the rectangular frame can be locatedpositioning guides to aid in placing a slide into the proper position onthe slide holder.

Each of the side walls of the rectangular frame can have a recessedarea, whereby the elongated edges of a standard glass microscope slidepositioned in the slide holder are sufficiently exposed that the slidecan be gripped by a mechanism capable of lifting a slide from the slideholder or placing a slide onto the slide holder. Examples of such amechanism include, but are not limited to, the thumb and a finger, or arobotic mechanism. Each of the side walls of the rectangular frame hasan opening proximate the second end thereof to enable a pivot pin of thelatch to be placed into the side wall.

The first end wall comprises a back surface, a front surface, ahorizontal platform extending between the back surface and the frontsurface, a first side surface that abuts one side wall of the frame, anda second side surface that abuts the other side wall of the frame.Projecting upwardly from the horizontal platform is a retaining element,which serves the function of preventing movement of a slide in adirection away from the second end wall.

The second end wall comprises a back wall, a front surface, a horizontalplatform extending between the back surface and the front surface, afirst side surface that abuts one side wall of the frame, and a secondside surface that abuts the other side wall of the frame. The horizontalplatform of the second end wall can have a recessed area to enable aslide to be grasped by a mechanism capable of lifting a slide from theslide holder or placing a slide onto the slide holder. Examples of sucha mechanism include, but are not limited to, the thumb and a finger, ora robotic mechanism. Thus, a slide positioned in the slide holder can begrasped at the edges of the slide or at one end of the slide to enablethe slide to be removed easily from the slide holder by the finger andthumb of the operator or by a mechanism that performs the same functionas the finger and thumb of the operator without touching a major portionof the surface of the slide.

The latch rotatably attached to the second end wall comprises:

-   -   (a) a first leg having a first end and a second end;    -   (b) a second leg having a first end and a second end;    -   (c) the first end of the first leg having an element projecting        therefrom, the projecting element capable of fitting into an        opening in the side wall of the frame adjacent to the first end        of the first leg;    -   (d) the first end of the second leg having an element projecting        therefrom, the projecting element capable of fitting into an        opening in the side wall of the frame adjacent to the first end        of the second leg;    -   (e) a third member disposed between the first leg and the second        leg, the third member having a projecting element disposed        between the first end of the first leg and the second end of the        first leg and the first end of the second leg and the second end        of the second leg, the projecting element projecting from a        surface of the third member, whereby the projecting element of        the third member is capable of engaging a notch in the slide        holder carrier in order to lock the slide holder to the slide        holder carrier;    -   (f) a projecting element on the first leg on the side opposite        to that of the projecting element of component (e) to hold down        a slide; and    -   (g) a projecting element on the second leg on the side opposite        to that of the projecting element of component (e) to hold down        a slide.

In another aspect, this invention provides an assembly comprising theslide holder previously described and a slide holder carrier having afirst end wall, a first side wall, a second end wall, and a second sidewall. A shaft runs from the first end wall of the slide holder carrierto the second end wall of the slide holder carrier. At least one slideholder is rotatably mounted on the shaft. The slide holder carrier canfurther include a plurality of ribs that divide the slide holder carrierinto a plurality of cells, the ribs running from the first side wall ofthe slide holder carrier to the second side wall of the slide holdercarrier. In each cell, a side wall of the slide holder carrier can havea notch formed therein for mating with the projecting element of thelatch to lock the slide holder to the slide holder carrier.

The invention allows a microscope slide to be inserted into and removedfrom the slide holder easily. The slide holder includes a latch thatwill prevent the slide holder from moving excessively during the processof removing a cover slip from the slide. When the latch is unlocked toenable insertion or removal of the slide, the projecting elements thathold down the slide are moved away from the major surface of the slideitself and the surface of the slide holder supporting the slide for easeof loading and unloading the slide, thereby allowing the slide to beremoved from the slide holder without inadvertently removing the coverslip. The latch also has a built-in stop to prevent the latch fromrotating completely around and allowing the slide holder to fall throughthe slide holder carrier when not in use. The locking feature of thelatch of the slide holder accurately positions the slide holder in theslide holder carrier, thereby allowing the slide to float, therebyfurther ensuring that the major surface of the slide not bearing thespecimen can be caused to come into contact with the surface of a heaterwhen the specimen is required to be heated. The feature for allowing aslide to be removed from the slide holder via vertical lifting, in placeof the horizontal sliding feature for removing a slide from aconventional slide holder, eliminates the situation in which theretaining tabs of the conventional slide holder peel the cover slip fromthe major surface of the slide.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an assembly in which a slide holdercarrier of this invention contains a plurality of slide holders of thisinvention, each slide holder supporting a slide. In this view, thelatches of nine of the slide holders are in the locked position, and thelatch of one of the slide holders is in the unlocked position.

FIG. 2 is a side view in elevation of the assembly of FIG. 1. In thisview, a slide holder is shown in the unlocked position and rotatedupward about 45° from the horizontal.

FIG. 3 is a sectional view of the assembly of FIG. 1 taken along line3-3. The latch of the slide holder is shown the locked position.

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the sectional view of the assembly asshown in FIG. 3. The latch of the slide holder is shown the lockedposition.

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of the frame of the slide holder shown inFIG.1.

FIG. 6 is a side view in elevation of the frame of the slide holdershown in FIG. 5.

FIG. 7 is an end view in elevation of the first end wall of the frame ofthe slide holder shown in FIG. 5.

FIG. 8 is an end view in elevation of the second end wall of the frameof the slide holder shown in FIG. 5.

FIG. 9 is a top plan view of the frame of the slide holder shown in FIG.5.

FIG. 10 is a perspective view of the latch of the slide holder shown inFIG. 1.

FIG. 11 is an end view in elevation of one end of the latch of the slideholder shown in FIG. 10.

FIG. 12 is a side view in elevation of one side of the latch of theslide holder shown in FIG. 10.

FIG. 13 is a side view in elevation of a side of the latch of the slideholder shown in FIG. 10, but not shown in FIG. 12.

FIG. 14 is a top plan view of the latch of the slide holder shown inFIG. 10.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

As used herein, the phrase “slide holder” means a device by which slidessuitable for use with a microscope are held during operation of anapparatus wherein the samples on the slides are treated for furtheranalysis. The phrase “slide holder carrier” means a device to which theslide holder is attached. The slide holder carrier is also the devicethat is inserted into the apparatus wherein the samples on the slidesare treated for further analysis. The phrase “mechanism of lifting theslide” includes, but is not limited to, such mechanisms as humanmechanisms, e.g., the thumb and forefinger, automated mechanisms, suchas robotic devices that have a gripping feature. The term “slide” isintended to include a small glass plate for mounting biologicalspecimens to be examined under a microscope.

Referring now to FIGS. 1, 2, 3, and 4, a slide holder carrier 10comprises a rectangular frame 12 comprising two end walls 14,16 and twoside walls 18, 20. The frame 12 has a plurality of ribs 22 a, 22 b, 22c, 22 d, 22 e, 22 f, 22 g, 22 h, and 22 i, which divide the frame into aplurality of cells 24 a, 24 b, 24 c, 24 d, 24 e, 24 f, 24 g, 24 h, 24 i,and 24 j. As shown in FIG. 1, the slide holder carrier 10 comprises tencells. Each cell 24 a, 24 b, 24 c, 24 d, 24 e, 24 f, 24 g, 24 h, 24 i,and 24 j is of sufficient size to accommodate a slide holder 30 of thisinvention. The slide holder carrier 10 includes an elongated shaft 26having a first end and a second end. One end of the shaft 26 is attachedto the first end wall 14 of the slide holder carrier 10, and the otherend 26 a of the shaft 26 is attached to the second end wall 16 of theslide holder carrier 10. The shaft 26 runs from the first end wall 14 ofthe slide holder carrier 10 to the second end wall 16 of the slideholder carrier 10. The shaft also runs through an opening formed througheach rib 22 a, 22 b, 22 c, 22 d, 22 e, 22 f, 22 g, 22 h, and 22 i. Aplurality of slide holders 30 of this invention is supported by theshaft 26. The slide holders 30 are also capable of pivoting about theshaft 26. The slide holder 30 of this invention is designed to pivotabout the shaft 26, in order to render the slide supported by the slideholder 30 accessible to a mechanism that is capable of introducing aslide into the slide holder 30 and removing a slide from the slideholder 30.

Referring also now to FIGS. 5, 6, 7, 8, and 9, the slide holder 30 has arectangular frame 32 having two side walls 34 and 36, a first end wall38 at one end of the rectangular frame 32, and a second end wall 40 atthe other end of the rectangular frame 32. The side wall 34 has a topedge 34 a, a bottom edge 34 b, a first side face 34 c, a second sideface 34 d, a first end edge 34 e, and a second end edge 34 f. The sidewall 36 has a top edge 36 a, a bottom edge 36 b, a first side face 36 c,a second side face 36 d, a first end edge 36 e, and a second end edge 36f.

Referring further now to FIGS. 5, 6, 7, 8, and 9, the side wall 34 has afirst opening 42 formed in a first end 44 thereof and a second opening46 formed in a second end 48 thereof. The side wall 36 has a firstopening 50 formed in a first end 52 thereof and a second opening 54 (seeFIG. 2) formed in a second end 56 thereof. The first opening 42 in theside wall 34 is in register with the first opening 50 in the side wall36. The shaft 26 passes through the first openings 42 and 50. The secondopening 46 in the side wall 34 is in register with the second opening 54in the side wall 36. Projecting elements on the first ends of the legsof the latch, which will be described in detail below, are inserted intothe second openings 46 and 54. The side wall 34 has a recessed area 58formed in the upper edge 34 a. The side wall 36 has a recessed area 60formed in the upper edge 36 a. The recessed area 58 is shown as being inregister with the recessed area 60. The purpose of the recessed areas 58and 60 is to provide adequate space to enable a slide to be grasped by aslide loading mechanism and a slide removal mechanism (e.g., a thumb anda finger of a human operator or an alternate mechanism, e.g., a roboticmechanism, an automated robotic mechanism). The side wall 34 has a firstprojection 62. The side wall 36 has a first projection 64. The firstprojection 62 is in register with the first projection 64. The purposeof the projections 62 and 64 is to promote proper positioning of theslide in the slide holder 30, thereby functioning as positioning guides.The side wall 34 has a second projection 66. The side wall 36 has asecond projection 68. The first projection 62 is in register with thefirst projection 64. The second projection 66 is in register with thesecond projection 68. The purpose of the projections 66 and 68 is topromote proper positioning of the slide in the slide holder 30, therebyfunctioning as positioning guides.

In certain embodiments of this invention, the depth of the frame 32(i.e., the width of a side face of a side wall) must be sufficiently lowthat the slide holder 30 does not interfere with the heating elementsthat are placed below the slide holders 30 and within the cells 24 a, 24b, 24 c, 24 d, 24 e, 24 f, 24 g, 24 h, 24 i, and 24 j of the slideholder carrier 10. During heating of the specimens by the heatingelements, the major surface of the slide not bearing the specimen is incontact with the heating element.

As shown in FIGS. 1, 2, 3, 5, and 6, the frame 32 is not in the form ofa true parallelepiped. This departure from the form of a trueparallelepiped results from the formation of the recessed areas 58 and60 in the side walls 34 and 36, respectively of the frame 32. However,it is generally desired to have the width of each side face of each sidewall be substantially unvarying along the length of each side face ofeach side wall because a substantially unvarying width for each sideface of each side wall results in greater strength for the side walls.Furthermore, if the frame 32 is formed by means of a molding process,sidewalls having side faces of unvarying width enable simplification ofthe molding process.

Referring now to FIGS. 7 and 9, the first end wall 38 comprises a backsurface 38 a, a front surface 38 b, a horizontal platform 38 c extendingbetween the back surface 38 a and the front surface 38 b, a side surface38 d that abuts the side wall 34 of the frame 32, and a side surface 38e that abuts the side wall 36 of the frame 32. Projecting upwardly fromthe horizontal platform 38 c is a retaining element 70, which serves thefunction of preventing movement of a slide in a direction away from thesecond end wall 40. As shown in FIGS. 6, 7, 8, and 9, the retainingelement 70 comprises a vertical portion 72 having an overhanging portion74, which projects from the uppermost end of the vertical portion 72.The vertical portion 72 prevents a slide positioned on the slide holder30 from moving in a direction away from the second end wall 40. Theoverhanging portion 74 prevents a slide positioned on the slide holder30 from moving excessively in a vertical direction when a force thatwould move the slide in a vertical direction, e.g., suction for removinga cover slip, is applied to the slide. However, a slight amount ofvertical movement is not precluded.

When a slide is properly positioned in a slide holder 30, one end of theslide rests upon the upper surface of the horizontal platform 38 c ofthe first end wall 38. The overhanging portion 74 of the retainingelement 70 is sufficiently short to avoid catching or snagging of theslide when the slide is inserted into the slide holder 30 by a slideloading mechanism or removed from the slide holder 30 by a slide removalmechanism. The overhanging portion 74 of the retaining element 70 isalso sufficiently resilient to prevent catching or snagging of the slidewhen the slide is inserted into the slide holder 30 by a slide loadingmechanism or removed from the slide holder 30 by a slide removalmechanism.

Referring now to FIGS. 8 and 9, the second end wall 40 comprises a backsurface 40 a, a front surface 40 b, a horizontal platform 40 c extendingbetween the back surface 40 a and the front surface 40 b, a side surface40 d that abuts the side wall 34 of the frame 32, and a side surface 40e that abuts the side wall 36 of the frame 32. It is preferred that arecessed area 40 f be formed in the horizontal platform 40 c to provideadequate space to enable the end of a slide to be grasped by a slideloading mechanism and a slide removal mechanism (e.g., a finger and athumb of a human operator or an alternate mechanism, e.g., a roboticmechanism, an automated robotic mechanism).

Referring now to FIGS. 10,11, 12, 13, and 14, the latch 100 comprises ahorizontal platform 102 from which projects a first leg 104 and a secondleg 106. At one end 104 a of the first leg 104 is a foot 108. At one end106 a of the second leg 106 is a foot 110. On the leg 104 between thehorizontal platform 102 and the foot 108 is a projecting element 112.Likewise, on the leg 106 between the horizontal platform 102 and thefoot 110 is a projecting element 114. The projecting elements 112 and114 perform the function of securing or holding down an end of a slidewhen the latch 100 is in the locked position. The projecting elements112 and 114 prevent a slide positioned on the slide holder 30 frommoving excessively in a vertical direction when a force that would movethe slide in a vertical direction, e.g., suction for removing a coverslip, is applied to the slide. However, a slight amount of verticalmovement is not precluded. The latch 100 also has a member 116 locatedintermediate the first leg 104 and the second leg 106 and depending fromthe horizontal platform 102. The member 116 has a projecting element118, which is capable of fitting into a notch 120 in the side of theside wall 20 of the slide holder carrier 10 facing the latch 100 whenthe latch 100 is in the locked position.

The member 116 is separated from the first leg 104 by a gap 122 and fromthe second leg 106 by a gap 124. The gaps 122 and 124 serve to enablethe member 116 to be flexed in order that the projecting element 118 canbe placed in the notch 120 in the side of the side wall 20 of the slideholder carrier 10 facing the latch 100. The material of which the latchis constructed is preferably sufficiently flexible and resilient toenable the member 116 to bend sufficiently so that (a) the projectingelement 118 can engage the notch 120 when locking of the slide holder 30to the slide holder carrier 10 is desired and that (b) the projectingelement 118 can be disengaged from the notch 120 when unlocking of theslide holder 30 from the slide holder carrier 10 is desired. From thefoot 108 projects a pin 126 to be inserted into the opening 46 in theside wall 34 of the frame 32. From the foot 110 projects a pin 128 to beinserted in the opening 54 in the side wall 36 of the frame 32. The pins126 and 128 enable the latch 100 to pivot in such a manner so as toenable the latch 100 to move between the locked position and theunlocked position. The latch 100 can be caused to pivot about the axisrunning through the openings 46 and 54 by lifting the latch by theoverhanging portion 102 a of the horizontal platform 102 of the latch100 or by lowering the latch by the overhanging portion 102 a of thehorizontal platform 102 of the latch 100. Lifting and lowering of theoverhanging portion 102 a of the horizontal platform 102 of the latchcan be carried out by a human operator (e.g., a thumb and a finger of ahuman operator) or by an alternate mechanism (e.g., a robotic mechanism,an automated robotic mechanism). The overhanging portion 102 a rests onthe top of the side wall 20 of the slide holder carrier 10 when thelatch 100 is in the locked position.

The frame 32 and the latch 100 can be made from a polymeric material,preferably a molded polymeric material. A representative example of apolymeric material suitable for preparing the frame 32 and the latch 100is molded polycarbonate. Other polymeric materials having molding andresiliency characteristics substantially similar to those possessed bypolycarbonate can be used to prepare the slide holder of this invention.

When a cover slip must be removed from the major surface of a slide,suction can be used to remove the cover slip from the slide. Because ofcapillary attraction between the cover slip and the slide, it ispossible that the cover slip will resist being removed from the majorsurface of the slide. The force generated by the suction will tend topromote unlocking of the latch 100 from the notch 120 in the side of theside wall 20 of the slide holder carrier 10 facing the latch 100. Thisresult, i.e., unlocking, would be undesirable, particularly in anautomated system. The retaining element 70, the projecting element 112,and the projecting element 114 assist in preventing suction from causingexcessive upward movement of the slide from unlocking the latch 100 fromthe notch 120 in the side of the side wall 20 of the slide holdercarrier 10 facing the latch 100. In one expected use of the presentinvention, a first cover slip is removed from the major surface of theslide, the specimen is then washed, a counter-stain is applied to thewashed specimen, and then a second, new cover slip is dispensed over thespecimen.

In certain embodiments of this invention, the slides must be able tocontact a heater in order to carry out staining processes. For thisreason, the slides must be able to float to ensure contact of the majorsurface of the slide with the heater. The design of the slide holder ofthis invention makes it possible for the slides to float in the slideholder so that a major surface of the slide can contact a heater, whenrequired.

OPERATION

In order to insert a slide “S” into a slide holder 30, the latch 100 isunlocked, whereby the projecting element 1 18 is removed from the notch120 in the side of the side wall 20 of the slide holder carrier 10facing the latch 100 and the latch 100 is pivoted by means of the pins126 and 128 to move the frame 32 of the slide holder 30 in a directionaway from the second end wall 40. The latch 100 can be unlocked bylifting the overhanging portion 102 a of the horizontal platform 102 ofthe latch 100 by a lifting mechanism (e.g., a thumb and finger of ahuman operator or an alternate mechanism, e.g., a robotic mechanism, anautomated robotic mechanism). Such movement renders the top edges 34 a,36 a of the side walls 34, 36, respectively, the horizontal platform 38c of the first end wall 38, and the horizontal platform 40 c of thesecond end wall 40 of the frame 32 accessible to a loading mechanism(e.g., a thumb and a finger or a robotic mechanism), whereby the slide Scan be placed on the frame 32 of the slide holder 30. A slide S is thenplaced onto the top edges 34 a, 36 a of the side walls 34, 36,respectively, in such a manner that the end S_(d) of the slide Sfurthest from the second end wall 40 at which the latch 100 abuts thevertical portion 72 of the retaining element 70 on the horizontalplatform 38 c of the first end wall 38. The vertical portion 72 of theretaining element 70 prevents the slide S from sliding along the topedges 34 a, 36 a of the frame 32.

In order to lock the slide holder 30 to the slide holder carrier 10, thelatch 100 is pivoted by means of the pins 126 and 128 to move the frame32 of the slide holder 30 in a direction toward the second end wall 40in such a manner that the projecting element 118 engages the notch 120in the side of the side wall 20 of the slide holder carrier 10. Therotational movement of the latch 100 causes the projecting elements 112and 114 to overlie the end S_(p) of the slide S. In addition, thehorizontal platform 102 of the latch 100 is restrained by the top of theend 20 of the slide holder carrier 10, so that the slide holder 30 doesnot rotate beyond the top of the end 20 of the slide holder carrier 10.Rotational movement of the latch 100 is effected by lowering theoverhanging portion 102 a of the horizontal platform 102 of the latch100 by a lifting mechanism (e.g., a thumb and finger of a humanoperator, an alternate mechanism, e.g., a robotic mechanism, anautomated robotic mechanism).

In the manner described above, other slides can be placed in the otherslide holders 30.

In order to remove a slide S from a slide holder 30, the overhangingportion 102 a of the horizontal platform 102 of the latch 100 is liftedso as to disengage the projecting element 118 from the notch 120 in theside of the side wall 20 of the slide holder carrier 10 facing the latch100. The latch 100 is pivoted by means of the pins 126 and 128 to movethe frame 32 of the slide holder 30 in a direction away from the secondend wall 40, whereby the slide S can be removed from the top edges 34 a,34 b of the side walls 34, 36, respectively, the horizontal platform 38c of the first end wall 38, and the horizontal platform 40 c of thesecond end wall 40 of the frame 32 by a suitable removal mechanism,e.g., a finger and a thumb of a human operator or an alternatemechanism, e.g., a robotic mechanism, an automated robotic mechanism.

Thus, it can be seen that the slide S can easily be inserted into andremoved from the slide holder 30.

Various modifications and alterations of this invention will becomeapparent to those skilled in the art without departing from the scopeand spirit of this invention, and it should be understood that thisinvention is not to be unduly limited to the illustrative embodimentsset forth herein.

1. A slide holder comprising a rectangular frame having two side wallsfacing each other, a first end wall facing a second end wall, the secondend wall having a latch pivotally attached thereto, the latch capable ofbeing pivoted in such a manner as to enable locking and unlocking of theslide holder in a slide holder carrier.
 2. The slide holder of claim 1,wherein each of said side walls has a first end abutting the first endwall of the frame and a second end abutting the second end wall of theframe, each first end of each side wall of the frame having apositioning guide to aid in placing a slide onto the slide holder, oreach second end of each side wall of the frame having a positioningguide to aid in placing a slide onto the slide holder, or both the firstend of each side wall of the frame and the second end of each side wallof the frame having a positioning guide to aid in placing a slide ontothe slide holder.
 3. The slide holder of claim 1, wherein each of theside walls has a recessed area whereby edges of a slide positioned inthe slide holder are sufficiently exposed that two edges of the slidecan be gripped by a mechanism capable of lifting the slide.
 4. The slideholder of claim 1, wherein the second end of each side wall has anopening in the second end to enable a pin to be placed through each sidewall.
 5. The slide holder of claim 1, wherein the first end of each sidewall has an opening to enable a shaft to be placed through each sidewall.
 6. The slide holder of claim 1, wherein the first end wallcomprises a back surface, a front surface, a horizontal platform betweenthe front surface and the back surface, and a retention elementprojecting upward from the horizontal platform.
 7. The slide holder ofclaim 1, wherein the second end wall comprises a front surface, a backsurface, a horizontal platform between the front surface and the backsurface.
 8. The slide holder of claim 7, wherein the horizontal platformhas a recessed area whereby an edge of a slide positioned in the slideholder is sufficiently exposed that the edge of the slide can be grippedby a mechanism capable of lifting the slide.
 9. The slide holder ofclaim 1, wherein the latch comprises: (a) a first leg having a first endand a second end; (b) a second leg having a first end and a second end;(c) the first end of the first leg having an element projectingtherefrom, the projecting element capable of fitting into an opening inthe side wall of the frame adjacent to the first end of the first leg;(d) the first end of the second leg having an element projectingtherefrom, the projecting element capable of fitting into an opening inthe side wall of the frame adjacent to the first end of the second leg;(e) a third member disposed between the first leg and the second leg,the third member having a projecting element disposed between the firstend of the first leg and the second end of the first leg and the firstend of the second leg and the second end of the second leg, theprojecting element projecting from a surface of the third member,whereby the projecting element of the third member is capable ofengaging a notch in the slide holder carrier in order to lock the slideholder to the slide holder carrier; (f) a projecting element on thefirst leg on the side opposite to that of the projecting element ofcomponent (e) to hold down a slide; and (g) a projecting element on thesecond leg on the side opposite to that of the projecting element ofcomponent (e) to hold down a slide.
 10. An assembly comprising at leastone slide holder of claim 1, the assembly further comprising a slideholder carrier having a first end wall, a first side wall, a second endwall, a second side wall, and a shaft running from the first end wall ofthe slide holder carrier to the second end wall of the slide holdercarrier, the at least one slide holder rotatably mounted on the shaft.11. The assembly of claim 10, wherein a side wall of the slide holdercarrier has a notch formed therein for mating with a projecting elementon said latch to lock the slide holder to the slide holder carrier. 12.The assembly of claim 10, wherein the slide holder carrier furtherincludes a plurality of ribs that divide the slide holder carrier into aplurality of cells, the ribs running from the first side wall to thesecond side wall.